Dual purpose grain cart

Abstract

A two-wheeled hoppered cart is particularly adapted to receive crop from a combine and transfer same to another transport vehicle with an unloading conveyor, and to conveniently transport products to an air-seeder cart. The frame comprises a rear frame portion supporting the hoppered container, and a front frame portion extending forward and down from the rear frame portion to a hitch. A port with a gate is located below the rear frame, and a pair of wheels is mounted on the frame such that the rotational axis is located below the rear frame portion and rearward of the port. An access area below the port, ahead of the port, and to the first side of the port, is unobstructed. An intake hopper of a conventional air-seeder cart filling conveyor can be positioned under the port with the filling conveyor in front of the wheel on the first side of the cart.

1. A dual purpose two-wheeled cart adapted for attachment to a rear end of a tow vehicle for movement along the ground, the dual purpose cart adapted to receive granular crop production from a combine and transfer same to a transport vehicle, and adapted to transport granular agricultural products to an air-seeder cart, the dual purpose cart comprising:
 a hoppered container having a floor sloping downward and inward from walls of the container to a central sump;  
 a frame comprising a rear frame portion supporting the hoppered container, and a front frame portion extending forward from the rear frame portion and having a front end forward of and below the rear frame portion;  
 a hitch on the front end of the front frame portion adapted for attachment to the rear end of the tow vehicle;  
 a port located below the rear frame portion and oriented substantially upright and generally facing a first side of the dual purpose cart to allow granular agricultural products to flow out of the sump onto the ground beneath the hoppered container and towards the first side of the dual purpose cart;  
 a gate operable to open and close the port;  
 a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the frame on a common rotational axis, such that the rotational axis is located below the rear frame portion and rearward of the port;  
 wherein an access area below the port, ahead of the port, and to the first side of the port, is unobstructed, such that a conventional filling conveyor mounted on the air-seeder cart can be positioned in front of a wheel on the first side of the dual purpose cart with an intake hopper thereof resting on the ground under the port such that granular agricultural products flowing out of the port can be received by the intake hopper prior to landing on the ground; and  
 an unloading conveyor attached to the hoppered container such that the unloading conveyor is operable to move agricultural products from the sump to a conveyor discharge located on an exterior of the container at a location oriented the agricultural products into the transport vehicle.  
 
   
   
     2. The dual purpose cart of  claim 1  further comprising a chute located under the port and operative to direct agricultural products exiting the port forward. 
   
   
     3. The dual purpose cart of  claim 2  wherein the chute also directs the agricultural products toward the first side of the dual purpose cart. 
   
   
     4. The dual purpose cart of  claim 1  wherein the unloading conveyor comprises an auger, and wherein an intake of the auger is located in the sump, adjacent to the port. 
   
   
     5. The dual purpose cart of  claim 1  wherein the gate is operable to control the amount of agricultural products flowing out of the port. 
   
   
     6. The dual purpose cart of  claim 1  wherein the front frame portion slopes downward and forward from the front end of the rear frame portion. 
   
   
     7. An agricultural seeding apparatus comprising:
 an air-seeder comprising an air-seeder cart and an air-seeder cart filling conveyor mounted on the air-seeder cart;  
 a dual purpose cart adapted for attachment to a rear end of a tow vehicle for movement along the ground, the dual purpose cart adapted to receive granular crop production from a combine harvester and transfer same to a transport vehicle, and adapted to transport granular agricultural products to the air-seeder cart, the dual purpose cart comprising: 
 a hoppered container having a floor sloping downward and inward from walls of the container to a central sump;  
 a frame comprising a rear frame portion supporting the hoppered container, and a front frame portion extending forward from the rear frame portion and having a front end forward of and below the rear frame portion;  
 a hitch on the front end of the front frame portion adapted for attachment to the rear end of the tow vehicle;  
 an unloading conveyor attached to the hoppered container and operable to move agricultural products from the sump to a conveyor discharge located on an exterior of the container at a location oriented to discharge the agricultural products into the transport vehicle;  
 a port located below the rear frame portion and oriented substantially upright and generally facing a first side of the dual purpose cart to allow granular agricultural products to flow out of the sump towards the ground and towards the first side of the dual purpose cart;  
 a gate operable to open and close the port; and  
 a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the frame on a common rotational axis, such that the rotational axis is located below the rear frame portion and rearward of the port;  
 
 wherein an access area below the port, ahead of the port, and to the first side of the port, is unobstructed;  
 wherein the air-seeder cart filling conveyor is positioned in front of a wheel on the first side of the dual purpose cart with the intake hopper thereof on the ground under the port such that granular agricultural products flowing out of the port toward the ground are received by the intake hopper and transferred through the air-seeder cart filling conveyor into the air-seeder cart.  
 
   
   
     8. The apparatus of  claim 7  further comprising a chute located under the port and operative to direct agricultural products exiting the port forward. 
   
   
     9. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the chute also directs the agricultural products toward the first side of the dual purpose cart. 
   
   
     10. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the unloading conveyor comprises an auger, and wherein an intake of the auger is located in the sump, adjacent to the port. 
   
   
     11. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the gate is operable to control the amount of agricultural products flowing out of the port. 
   
   
     12. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the front frame portion slopes downward and forward from the front end of the rear frame portion. 
   
   
     13. An agricultural seeding apparatus comprising:
 an air-seeder comprising an air-seeder cart and an air-seeder cart filling conveyor mounted on the air-seeder cart;  
 a dual purpose cart adapted for attachment to a rear end of a tow vehicle for movement along the ground, the dual purpose cart adapted to receive granular crop production from a combine harvester and transfer same to a transport vehicle, and adapted to transport granular agricultural products to the air-seeder cart, the dual purpose cart comprising: 
 a hoppered container having a floor sloping downward and inward from walls of the container to a central sump;  
 a frame and a hitch on the front end of the frame adapted for attachment to the rear end of the tow vehicle;  
 an unloading conveyor attached to the hoppered container and operable to move agricultural products from the sump to a conveyor discharge located on an exterior of the container at a location oriented to discharge the agricultural products into the transport vehicle;  
 a port located below the frame and oriented to allow granular agricultural products to flow out of the sump towards the ground;  
 a gate operable to open and close the port; and  
 a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the frame on a common rotational axis, such that the rotational axis is located below the frame and rearward of the port;  
 
 wherein an access area below the port and ahead of the port is unobstructed;  
 wherein the air-seeder cart filling conveyor is positioned in front of a wheel on the first side of the dual purpose cart with the intake hopper thereof on the ground under the port such that granular agricultural products flowing out of the port toward the ground are received by the intake hopper and transferred through the air-seeder cart filling conveyor into the air-seeder cart.